Past Event Lecture

John Button Oration: Off-course Discourse

Esteemed journalist Laura Tingle examines why the quality of our national debate has deteriorated and what, if anything, we can do about it.  

Supported by the Melbourne School of Government and the Faculty of Arts, 
University of Melbourne

Tickets

11 May 16:30
The Capitol
Access: Assisted Listening Wheelchair
Why have public conversations become so fraught? 

In the decades since esteemed Australian politician John Button made his mark on Labor and national politics in his quiet, whimsical but lethal way, we seem to have lost the art not just of civil discourse but of having any semblance of a robust and nuanced debate. 

Over a career spanning nearly 40 years, journalist Laura Tingle has been in the unusual position of being both a reporter and a commentator. In this 2024 John Button Oration, she will examine why the quality of our national debate has deteriorated and what, if anything, we can do about it – for the sake of our country.   

Authors

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John Button Oration: Off-course Discourse